File No. 855.48/366
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State
No. 3885
London,
May 30, 1916
.
[Received June
12.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of
a private note that I have received from Sir Edward Grey about the work of the Commission for
Belief in Belgium.
I have [etc.]
[Page 884]
[Enclosure]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Grey) to
the American Ambassador (Page)
My Dear Ambassador: In your private
note of 23d of March last you were good enough to send to me a
copy of a letter from Mr. Hoover stating that the Commission for Relief in
Belgium would be willing to continue their work of relieving the
civil population of Belgium. In the last paragraph of his letter
Mr. Hoover observes that
it is hopeless to carry on this work without the daily
cooperation of various departments and agencies of His Majesty’s
Government and he says that, in agreeing to continue, it is on
the clear understanding that this cooperation shall continue
also.
I think that the commission may perhaps desire to receive some
assurance from His Majesty’s Government on this point, and I
therefore beg that you will be so good as to make it clear to
Mr. Hoover and those
associated with him in this great humanitarian work that it is
the desire and intention of His Majesty’s Government that
various public departments connected with the work should
cooperate with the commission in the closest possible way.
I am happy to be able to say that the commission continue to
enjoy the complete confidence of His Majesty’s Government, and I
should like to add my own personal tribute to the admirable
organisation which they have evolved, and to the tireless energy
of all its members who are so devotedly carrying out their
difficult task.
Yours sincerely,
